During the past several years, great advances have been made toward the goal of producing an oxygen-carrying resuscitative fluid, commonly called an artificial blood substitute. From the preliminary studies in this laboratory, it appears feasible to synthesize a suitable substance in freeze-dried form. The artificial blood proposed in this investigation will be produced from a capped porphyrin and a modified hydroxyethyl starch. The compound proposed in this study has the following advantages: 1) Made from readily available and synthetic materials; 2) The composition is known and can be varied to meet specific needs; 3) Blood typing is unnecessary; 4) No danger of hepatitis or transfusion-transmitted diseases such as AIDS; 5) Large volume usage is practical; 6) the freeze-dried product makes storage easy; 7) The long shelf-life of the product makes it viable for extended periods of time-up to five years; It is quite apparent that this artificial blood will be useful both for civilian and military needs. However, it has special significance and importance when storage and shelf time may be important, such as on long-term space shuttles, remote location hospitals, infantry men in the field and in ambulances. This freeze-dried product should occupy minimum space and weight until it is needed. The availability of an effective blood substitute could modify blood bank strategies that are needed to meet emergency situations, could possibly improve the efficiency of blood programs and have some effect on the various economic factors involved. Equally important is the fact that blood substitutes may be utilized in preserving the function of isolated organs. The ultimate goal would be a personalized blood substitute which could be carried with you in freeze-dried form and reconstituted upon need with water.